FND

Tracybuchanan

Hi ,I was diagnosed with FND a year ago.I have mobility issues,fatique,arm ,shoulder, neck pain,tremors ,hallucinations,noise intolerance .I am 49,married to a fabulous man and have 2 boys and a dog.glad to be part of this group.any one else have FND?

JennysDad

Hello Tracy (I'm guessing ) @Tracybuchanan, and welcome to the community. Good to have you with us.
I ran quick searches in Scope on FND and Functional Neurological Disorder and, to be honest, did not find very much that was specific to it. That, however, does not prove a lot, and there may well be other sufferers whose posts and conversations haven't highlighted FND in their headings. I'm sure that many of the resources here could prove to be of use to you - about benefits, for example, and dealing with chronic pain. You should find a series of links in the purple band lower down your page.
I had a quick look off-site, too, and found http://www.fndaction.org.uk/facebook-support-groups/  which, if you haven't encountered it already, might be of use to you.
So I hope you'll have a look around and tell us a little more about you and your circumstances so that we can look for ways to help and support you. Others will be along to greet you who may know much more than I do In the meanwhile don't hesitate to chat or to ask any questions that may occur to you.
Warmest best wishes,
Richard

Lasian_Alumni

Welcome to the community @Tracybuchanan, it's great to have you here!

You can have a look at our groups and discussions to see which you would like to get involved with, whether it be to ask for some help and support, or just to chat with other members of our community. 

Susan46

hi
i was diagnosed with FND a month ago. previous to that in april i was
 diagnosed with degenerative disc disease with bulging discs c2 to c7. every time i went to gp he gave me painkillers. i too have tremors, involuntary shakes and spasms, my headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, ear pain, short term memory loss, confusion and my arms and legs not working properly, my speech issues....i asked my partner if im going crazy. i was taken into hospital due to severe neck pain and agonising pressure in the head. it was only then did drs actually see what i was having to live like. mri and ct scan showed everything in head ok. after months of waiting i saw a neurologist who diagnosed FND. so i was relieved i wasnt dying or going crazy. 
FND is a specialist subject sO only medical staff who know about FND should help. im going to start FND physio soon and am on a waiting list for seeing neuropyschologist . FND is when the brain sends and receives messages but doesnt react correctly. all the symptoms are REAL. i had physio sorted but the neurolost cancelled it as FND needs different physio as ordinary treatment could make the problems worse. i will see a neurophyschologist to retrain my brain to think different and hopefully in time i will get better. since march 4th i have been this way and i now use wheelchair to go out with partner pushing me and in the home i have zimmer, comode, shower stool which is a godsend. both bladder and bowel are incontinant since this started and i get exhausted after 5 metres of walking. as soon as i stand im on a rocky boat and even when i sit this happens virtually every day. i cant cook because i have little strength in arms and hands and cant judge distance when going to pick something up. the neurologist aked me what i hope will happen with treatment. i said....as long as i can walk and speak again and stop the depression setting in then that would be great. yep, the tears and the cant do anything mood has set in and im sad a lot cos i feel ive been put to the back of the queue with nhs and ive had to fight every bit of the way to get anything done. im now struggling with sugar levels and my diabetic nurse has told me i must see a specialist now as since having FND my fasting level has gone from 50 to 90 and she says its not what i eat but because im not active now. 
im off morphine and diazapan as they didnt help me anyway but whats annoying is the neurologist told us that i should up my other meds to a really high dose and would write to tell my gp. my gp hasnt received the letter concerning my meds . on top of that pain management told me to double morphine intake at my initial appointment but didnt write to my gp or myself to say. so we did that on his advice. im concerned that the specialists dont talk to each other or communicate well as im told  one thing then another. but now im diagnosed.....i only do what the neurologist says as he seems to be the only one who understands me and knows what im going thru is real. 
i know ive gone on a bit about my own FND but having gone and still going thru so much, i feel reading about my experience might just help you even a little. FND isnt something many gps are aware of and therefore try to treat symptoms which could be a number of other ilnedses. i had to beg and beg for people to listen and i fell on deaf ears. tc

wavedancer

Hi, I was diagnosed with FND and dystonia  last year. I'm currently waiting for residential therapy in the hope of easing some of the curable problems I have. I'm  having a really bad day today so can't write as much as I would like but just wanted to let you know you're not on your own with your diagnosis. Will write properly on a better day when my brain and hand are communicating better!

Susan46

first appointment for one to one with psychoneurologist and she doesnt turn up. sat one hour, receptionist said she couldnt get in touch with her so left my phone number with the woman so she could ring us and arrange another day. no call from her. ive contacted since but still no reply. phoned gp and they getting in touch with her. like me, they agree that even if there was a problem on the day shd could have sent apologies. nothing and its been a week. 

susan48

I also have been diagnosed with FND there a good website, can’t remember what it’s called but just type in Functional Neurological Disorder.
Im at the moment seeing a psychologist  to help with understanding and dealing with the symptoms. I have involuntary body movements and sometimes cannot speak properly.

DemRed

Hi everyone, its not a site I wanted to join but here I am with a new diagnosis of FND.

I've been going to the neurologist for ten years for peripheral vision loss (nothing wrong with my eyes), facial spasms and a big list of other symptoms that come and go. I was so scared this was the start of Parkinson's so I'm very relieved to be told its FND. They still want to do a lumber puncture and MRA and I suppose I should go along with that. I have though, been researching FND and this sounds very much like me, though I'm nothing like as poorly as some of you. 

Look forward to reading the forums.

LaughingLolly

It's been suggested amongst other things. 

susan48

There’s a very large umbrella that covers fnd. There good info on YouTube 

underdiagnosed

I've just been diagnosed with FND. Exhaustion, left sided weakness, tinnitus, difficulty with walking and balance etc. I also have various cardiac symptoms which the neurologist said he couldn't explain

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @underdiagnosed, how are you feeling? I know there can be multiple emotions when getting a diagnosis. Is there anything we can do to help?

Susan46

i am on FNDhope site and its great that its a group of people who can support and give advice. fnd is really complicated and i have about 20+ symptoms most on an every day basis which has been awful. if you just fancy chat then im an Fnd warrior and have been in your shoes and still am. its frightening and a mystery really but its also real. xx 

underdiagnosed

Thanks for your comments Chloe and Susan. I am feeling Ok thanks I'm quite a positive person. I just need my cardiology appointment (not too long to wait now) to see if they can shed any light on the rest of my symptoms, but I suspect they may still be unable to explain what's happening. My most frequent cardiac symptoms occur during REM sleep which is strange. I wish the 2 departments could combine but I think it may be beyond the remit of NHS treatment. My GP is supportive. I'm not sure if there's anything you could do to help? I may look on FND hope later thanks for your support. Maybe another day though as I woke up 15 times last night with symptoms and am feeling kind of zombiefied!!!

Chloe_Alumni

I'm glad you are feeling okay @underdiagnosed! I hope the cardiology appointment is a productive one and please do let us know if there is anything we can do to help

wifeof

Hi all I am the wife of an Fnd suffer. My husband suffers with head pain, arm and shoulder pain, weakness, tiredness, and sometimes the inability to walk or move. I wanted to ask if anyone has heard of a sufferer having the inability to have feelings. My husband seems distant with me and my children and seems to lack any interest or involvement. I wandered if this could be a symptom and if anyone has any ideas of what I can do to help x

wavedancer

I suffer with FND and when I read what you asked (wifeof) it made me think. Living with any type of chronic pain can drag you down into depression. I wonder if this is what's happening to your husband? It could account for him being distant and his lack of interest and involvement with everyone and everything. I get times when it takes so much effort to just get through the day that I don't have anything left for anyone or anything else so I 'close down' and withdraw into myself. I guess it's a case of self preservation of sorts. I don't know if it's a symptom of FND as such or whether it's just the side effects of how the FND makes us feel. I'm not sure how much sense that makes or if it helps you understand what may be happening to your husband. Are you able to talk to him about how he feels on an emotional level as well as a physical level? Does he see a neurologist or an FND specialist regularly? Do you go with him if he does? It may give you an opportunity to mention how he is if you do. I'm waiting for funding so I can go to inpatient rehab. This involves being treated by a multi professional (that's not the right word but I can't think what it is at the moment) team which involves a neuropsychiatrist along with working on the physical side of things. This suggests to me that there's an element of emotional problems on varying levels involved with FND. I hope this helps somehow.  It's certainly not easy having a member of the family with FND. I don't know how my partner puts up with me at times!

wifeof

My husband has had a few sessions of physio and has seen a neuropsychiatrist but only occasionally (every 12 months or so) he has no other input from anyone else. I understand why you are saying regarding pain and the effects but it is extremely difficult to live with especially for the children who miss their dad. 
i am looking to see if there is any other help that he can get as I am unsure where to go with it as the doctors don’t seem to understand the condition x

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @wifeof and a warm welcome to the community! I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to see your husband like this, and I'm sorry to hear about the lack of support he has received. I know FND can be a condition that doctors can't seem to grasp, but your husbands symptoms are valid and are real. 

Have you ever looked at FND Hope? They are a charity which explain FND really well and you may find useful.

wavedancer

Hi wifeof,
I know what you mean about the doctors not knowing much about FND. I've been passed from specialist to specialist and it's taken almost 9 years for me to be diagnosed. It was while I was in hospital having an operation for trigeminal neuralgia that I met a fellow patient who had seen the health problems I had and suggested that I may have FND. She'd been in hospital with it for 12 months! Luckily I live in an area where there is a consultant with an interest in it. Chloe suggested looking for FND hope. There is a closed Facebook group run by fndhope. I use it and can recommend it. I know there are some there who are dealing with loved ones with FND. I'm sure you will find support and advice. It does seem like a bit of a postcode lottery as to what treatment is available. Take care and if I can help please don't hesitate to shout. xxx

Chloe_Alumni

Thank you for sharing this @wavedancer